“Be kind!” “Say sorry” or “Be respectful” are some things we constantly say to students. Bullying is a national problem that significantly impacts a student's behavior and education. Being around students of all ages for 80% of my day has shown me the importance of creating a safe space for them to feel seen.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 20% of students in the United States report being bullied. It is shown that students who have reported bullying have low attendance and low academic performance.
Evidently, bullying is an important problem that needs more awareness. I would like to suggest a few approaches that can be implemented to prevent bullying.
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It Begins at Home - The environment in which a child grows up holds significance. The habits that students learn at home are often reflected at school. Begin by having conversations with your student/child about how certain situations made them feel or if they have anything they would like to share. This will be a good foundation for them to understand they have a safe place to open up with someone at home.
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Promote a Kind and Respectful Atmosphere - Staff and students should encourage a positive environment in order to remind students daily of the school's values. This can be accomplished through assemblies, school activities, classroom discussions, announcement reminders, and student workshops. It is important to implement activities where students can practice these principles.
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Implement Consequences for Bullying - Every action has good or bad consequences. Students and parents should be made aware of the situation and how the school will not tolerate bullying. This can prevent future bullying and remind the victim that one should never stay quiet or live in fear. It teaches students how to take accountability by reminding them that every action has an outcome.
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Train Teachers, Staff, and Parents - Not everyone will know how to react when someone opens up about bullying. Therefore, it is important to train professionals and parents on how to respond, take action, and be compassionate. This allows the school to be in communication with parents on how they are preventing bullying and how to help their child/children. This can be done through panels on real-life situations, webinars, open discussions, or providing training courses.
Conclusively, bullying is an experience we don't want our future leaders to endure. Bullying can be prevented in schools by analyzing the student's home life, prompting and kind environment, implementing consequences for bullying, and training teachers, staff, and parents. It can protect their mental health, and provide students with the opportunity to succeed. Emphasizing the importance of treating each other with kindness can leave lifelong imprints on students all over the world.
Author: Ashley Rios, EIS, Special Education
